“This is the doing of that Li Ru,” said she. “He is much too thick with

Oct, 2018

“This is the doing of that Li Ru,” said she. “He is much too thick with

“This is the doing of that Li Ru,” said she. “He is much too thick with Lu Bu.

He suggested that, I know. Little he cares for the Imperial Rector’s reputation or my life. Oh！ I could eat him alive.”

“Do you think I could bear to lose you？” said Dong Zhuo.

“Though you love me yet I must not stay here. That Lu Bu will try to ruin me if I do. I fear him.”

“We will go to Meiwo tomorrow, you and I, and we will be happy together and have no cares.”

She dried her tears and thanked him. Next day Li Ru came again to persuade Dong Zhuo to send the damsel to Lu Bu.

“This is a propitious day,” said Li Ru.

“He and I standing in the relation of father and son. I cannot very well do that,” said Dong Zhuo. “But I will say no more about his fault. You may tell him so and soothe him as well as you can.”

“You are not being beguiled by the woman, are you？” said Li Ru.

Dong Zhuo colored, saying, “Would you like to give your wife to some body else？ Do not talk about this any further. It would be better not to.”

Li Ru left the chamber. When he got outside, he cast his eyes up to heaven, saying, “We are dead people, slain by the hand of this girl！”

When a scholar of history reached this episode he wrote a verse or two：

[hip, hip, hip] Just introduce a woman, Conspiracies succeed；Of soldiers, or their weapons, There really is no need. They fought their bloody battles, And doughty deeds were done；But in a garden summer house The victory was won. [yip, yip, yip]

the order was given to journey to Meiwo, and the whole body of officers assembled to add luster to the start. Diao Chan, from her carriage, saw Lu Bu among the crowd. She at once dropped her eyes and assumed an appearance of deepest melancholy. After the cavalcade started and when her carriage had almost disappeared in the distance,